Lifeboat



C. l. NIELSEN March l0, 193'1.

LIFEBO'AT Filed Dec, 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 10, 1931. c.NIELsl-:N 1,795,437

' LIFEBOAT Filed Dec. 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 aix@ @iii BY l cfgkfmay/wl. M' c ATTORNEY -March 1.0, 1931.

v c. l. NlELsEN 1,795,437

LIFEBOAT Filed Dec.I 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVNTOR A TT ORNE Y Marchl0, 1931. c. l. N IELSEN 1,795,437.-

LIFEBOAT Filed Dec. 20,' 1929 4 sheets-"sheet 4 I l -l l y I0 www @awa ATTORNE Y Patented Mar.V 10, 17931.

UNITED STATES- PATENT Qpplcn ,i

CHARLES I. NIELSEN, WEEHAWKEN, NEW JERSEY Application led December 20,1929-. 'Serial No. 415,375.

vide the lifeboat with two mast-s and with an engine and with means forcontrollingthe engine and the sails and the steering from a singleposition, namely, a control cockpit.

Y A further object of my invention is to provide. within the bulkheads asealed compartment for the engine, a cabin for small children and atoilet compartment.

It is a further object of my invention to 2c supply disappearing housinghooks on the lifeboat so that once the weight of the boat has beenremoved from the hooks there will be no chance for the tackle blockswhich support the lifeboat to rehook.

2a For a more complete exposition of my invention reference may be hadto the annexed drawings and specification at the end whereof -myinvention will be fully pointed out and claimed. a

eo In the drawings,

Figure l represents an elevation showing the lifeboat under sail.

Figure 2 is a plan View, one half in horizontal cross section.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section.

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross section taken at point below the tankdeck or cellular under body of boat showing the entire buoyancy tank orcellular system'.

4o* Y Figure 5 is a vertical transverse cross section taken fromdirectly in front of the control cockpit or other bulkhead.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are, respectively, plan and side elevations of myimproved housing hook.

Figure 9 is a partial horizontal cross section of a modified form oflifeboat -suitable for warships. l y

Figure l0 is a vertical cross section of the V-inodiiication shown inFigure 9.

My improved lifeboat has a hull built ofv any suitable materialand willbe a staunch, able, seaworthy boat designed inl compliance with the U.SfSteam Ship Inspectors Rules i and' Regulations as prescribed. by law.I lTo 55' give the lower body-extra weight or to, in other words, holdthe center of gravity down as low as possible a system of ballast tanksas shown in Figures 8: and 5` are-located inthe central partof the boatdirectly over the '60 keel. These tanks will'haveaV pipe connectionleading vout-thI-oughthe bottomof the boat and ay small air' tubeleading up to the tank deck for therelease of the air inl the tanks;'sthe boat `immerges into the water 65-k these tanks will; all iillautomatically t'o the water line of the boat and act as or constitutethe ballast, tending tokeep theboat always v on an even keel. f V

In the main andcentral partof the boat, 7o

as willrbe" noted on Figures 3 and; 4', are located: a number of largeYsize pipes thatfex.-l tendy from well deck or tank top deck downthrough: the bottomV of the vboat and will be made with the usual iioodvalves.4 pipesrareused-` for automatic bailing of the boat inl a. heavyseawa'y and. will. also prevent the boat from going down by suction of asinking vessel on which the lifeboat is' carried, as these pipes relieveany vacuum from the Se` bottom of the boat. 1

The hull is also dividedl into compartments by water-tightv bulkheads.The forward bulkhea'd':separates a forward compartment',

7 from the remainder of the hulll N ear the: e5

stern of the boat thereis provided a watertight bulkhead 8 whichcooperates with lon.-y gitudinal bulkheads 9v and` l0 (see Figure l)r toprovide..threercompa'rtments'11, 12 and 13 in thestern. rIhe compartmentl2, which; 90'

is the center one, contains the motor 14 and. also anv oxygen tank 15.I'f desired, means for starting the motor may be arranged soy as toproject from the central compartmentthrough a waterstight bushing. Thecentral 95 body of the hullr between the' bulkheads and. 8 is adapted tocontain alarge number of variously shaped tanks 16 which givebuoyancytothe boat. In caseof injury the water Will enterthe mainor'cent-ralp'artof 10U These p the boat, then and at no other time willthese tanks come into play for buoyancy and it is for just such casesthat these tanks are placed there. Above these air tanks is arranged thehorizontal deck 17 which supports a tank top deck 18 which in turnsupports wearing strip floors 88. Above the deck 18 is arranged a seriesof transverse seats 19. Convenient to certain of the seats 19 on thegunnels are oarlocks 20.

At the fore andaft po-rtions of the boat are arranged hoisting hookhousings 21 which are connected to the frame work of the hull byreenforcing members 22.

Housings 21 are adapted to contain hoisting hooks 23 of an improveddesign. Hooks 23 carry at the rear parts thereof counterweights 24,which, when the weight of the boat is removed from the hooks 23 causethe hooks to fall into position within the housings 21 and to assume thedotted line position shown in Figure 8. In this position hooks 23 arecaught by latches 25 which are pressed by springs 25 and which latchhooks 23 in such a position that the tackle-blocks cannot rehook on thehooks 23.

The upper portion of compartment 12 is provided with a water-tightmanhole 26 whereby the compartment is carefully sealed and the motor 14protected against Water. At the rear of the boat there is also provideda control cockpit 26 convenient to which is located steering wheel 27which controls rudder 28 through a system of shafting and gearing 129.Adjacent to control tower 26 is also provided lever 29 for controllingthe connection of motor 14 with the propeller 30 so that the propellermay be actuated to drive the boat either forward or backward.

There is also provided in the central portion o the boat masts 31 and 32which are iitted into convenient mast chests 33 and 34 so as to bereadily raised even by persons unfamiliar with sails and boats. Mast 31is provided with a fore staysail 35 and a schooner rigged foresail 36and mast 32 is provided with a schooner rigged sail 37. Sails 35, 36 and37 are provided with convenient tackle for manipulating them. Thehalyards 38 for sail 37 are conveniently located to control tower 26.

The forward compartment 7 contains bread tank 39, fuel oil tank 40 and apair of buoyancy tanks 41 located, respectively, beneath tanks 39 and40.

Compartment 11 is intended as a shelter for children or the most feeblemembers of the occupants of the boat. Compartment 13 may contain anelectric stove for cooking and also the articles required by law to becarried in lifeboats, such as sea anchor, oil, waste, iares, compass,etc.

On either side of the hull there are mountfloats 43, also preferably ofbalsa wood, mounted on a rope.

The modification disclosed in Figures 9 and 10 is intended as a lifeboatfor use with vessels subjected to shell fire. In this modification balsaWood 44 is substituted in place of the buoyancy tanks 16 shown in thefirst inodilication. Such a Wood is extremely light and buoyant andwill, therefore, serve to keep the lifeboat afloat even though struck-by shell fire. There is also disclosed in this modication a pump 45adapted to be driven from the motor 14 in any desired manner.

I claim:

A lifeboat comprising a hull having at the forward end'thereof awater-tight'compartment, a tank top deck, at the conter of the boat acompartment containing means for buoying up the boat in case of injuryto the boat that would permit the water to enter the space below thetank top deck and at the stern three transversely spaced compartmentsthe center ofwhich has a Water-tight closure and which contains a motor,a control cockpit, a steering wheel adjacent said control cockpit, acontrol lever for said motor adjacent said cockpit for controlling saidsail and all operations of the boat.

CHARLES I. NIELSEN.

ed fenders 42, preferably of balsa wood, and

